LCHM Summer 2018 - 13

L C M E D S O C .O R G
SENSORY
Friedreich's Ataxia
Sjogren's Syndrome
Pyridoxine
Cisplatinum
Crohn's Disease
COMBINED MOTOR
AND SENSORY
Diabetes
Vincristine
Lead
Guillain Barre
Charcot Marie Tooth
Alcohol
Vitamin Deficiency
Lyme Disease
HIV related
Toxins
A healthy diet and exercise are two of the most important things you
can do to help improve strength, decrease neuropathy from worsening,
and decrease pain. Some neuropathies can be caused by a lack of vitamins
including B12 and folate which are found in foods like meat, eggs and milk.
American Heart Association's website www.heart.org and www.diabetes.
org American Diabetes Association's website have helpful guides to eating
a healthy diet.
Increasing the strength of weakening muscle can help you to maintain
function by maximizing the function of the muscles you have. Both cardiac
exercise and strength training are important. As little as 10-20 minutes a
day of activity can lead to better overall health. If you don't know where
to start, a physical therapist could design a home exercise program for
you that will help to keep you doing things you love.
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Regularly checking your skin when you have peripheral neuropathy is
critical to staying healthy. Any wound may be a potential setback so it's
important to make sure you don't have increased redness from rubbing
of shoes or injuries you weren't aware of due to lack of sensation. Feet
should be checked daily before bed. Any areas of redness that present for
multiple days should be brought to the attention of your physician. When
sensation is decreased having a podiatrist cut your toenails can prevent
complications and infections secondary to poorly cut nails.
If you have to take a medication that can cause peripheral neuropathy
or have a disease process that causes peripheral neuropathy, exercise, a
healthy diet and skin checking are things you can do to help improve
quality of life.
Meeting with a physiatrist may help you get physical or occupational
therapy you may need. Weakness in the legs may be a serious symptom
that can be improved with the help of orthotics (or braces) to help support
weakening legs. A physiatrist is well positioned to help treat some of the pain
you may be having from the neuropathy with modalities and medications.
If peripheral neuropathy is something that you are battling it would be
helpful for you to know that Lehigh Valley Health Network continues
to grow its Physiatry and Neurology providers. There are 45 locations
within Lehigh Valley Health Network that provide outpatient physical and
occupational therapy, ensuring our high quality healthcare is close to home.
Seeking help can maintain or improve function, decrease pain and
improve quality of life.
SUMMER 2018 | Lehigh County Health & Medicine 13